Friday, August 26, 2005

I will praise you as long as I live,and in your name I will lift up my hands.

I have a hard time lifting up my hands in praise. I hate to admit that, but I do. I think that it is mostly due to being raised in a church where nobody did that. And even now, though I am in a church where people do raise their hands, I still find it hard.

Sometimes when I am alone, either listening to some praise music, or when I am reading my Bible, I lift up my hands in praise.

I long for the day when I can be free of any inhibitions on my praise.

Thursday, August 25, 2005

He can't help it. God's love is so amazing, so much better than anything this life has to offer, so far beyond life itself, that he cannot contain himself. His mouth pours out glory to the most amazing thing that he knows.

Many times what we love the most is what we talk about the most. It is like there is this connection between our mouth and our heart. Jesus even tells us that, "...out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks."

If you want to know where your treasure is, ask yourself what you talk about the most.

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.

David wrote this Psalm while in the desert, and some commentators believe that this verse might be better understood by saying, "I have seen you in the sanctuary, and I long to behold your power and glory (here in the desert, like I saw it there!)"

If you are in a desert place in your life, don't give up hope. Set aside some time today and ask God to see his power and his glory.

Monday, August 22, 2005

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

Are you amazed?

You should be. The teachings of Jesus are amazing. They are unlike any other teachings on this earth, from any other teacher that has ever lived. The crowd that day, that heard this sermon, recognized the difference. They knew that this was different than anything they had ever heard.

Maybe you have heard this sermon so many times that it has lost its edge. Please read back through and see what you think. I believe that if you open your eyes, you might be amazed once again.

Friday, August 19, 2005

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.

How do you live your life?

Maybe you go to church from time to time. Maybe you go to a Christian School, and there are some Bible classes there and a Chapel service or two. Maybe you go to a Bible study from time to time. Maybe you just came across this blog.

Whatever the case is, you are foolish if you do not put the very Words of God into practice. Your foundation will crumble under the storms of life, and your house will fall.

Thursday, August 18, 2005

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house;

yet it did not fall,

because it had its foundation on the rock.

I love this entire verse. Especially the phrase, "...yet it did not fall..." One of the greatest joys of living a life in obedience to the teachings of Jesus is the did not fall.

The house might shake and crumble a little. The siding might need to be prepared. Some shingles might fly off. You might need to do some painting where the leaks were. But when the storms of life come... which they will, the house will not fall.

Praise God for His word today. His living and powerful word that will change us.

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Here we are drawing close to the end of the Sermon on the Mount.

There have been several different teachings that have rocked the foundations of the listeners in that day, and are still rocking the foundations of the listeners today. But right at the end Jesus tells us probably the most important point of the entire Sermon: the wise man is the one who "...hears these words of mine and puts them into practice."

Now, most of my life I was focusing on the rock and the sand. I can even remember teaching people that the rock was Jesus himself, but in this example, the rock, the sure foundation of living isn't Jesus; it is hearing the words of Jesus and applying them to your life.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

There are many interesting things about this passage, but there are two things that I don't think should be passed by.

One is the surprise of these people. You can almost sense it in their response. They are crying out, "...didn't we do enough? Didn't we do what we were supposed to be doing? How is this possible?!?" They were going through life thinking, and believing that they were OK. But they were self-deceived.

The other thing that I would like to point out is the very first word, "Many..." That word is frightening. There are going to be many people who fall into this category. Jesus tells us in another place that the road is wide that leads to destruction, and many will find it.

Monday, August 15, 2005

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

I know that to some this might seem like a contradiction. There are many people who know the verse that says, "...whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." But Matthew 7:21 doesn't contradict this verse, it clarifies it. It tells us what it means to "...call upon the name of the Lord..."

Friday, August 12, 2005

Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

As I mentioned in the previous post, which was ages ago, this is teaching on who we are. And I would like you to notice that the focus of this passage is recognition of others. And even though this passage could be used to do some introspection, it is primarily for discerning who the "bad trees" are.

I know that in this modern society we live in, we "aren't allowed" to talk about anyone else, but the Bible would clearly say differently. We are commanded to discern (judge) who the people around us are, from the teachers that we listen to, on down to the friends that influence us on a day to day basis.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with going to someone and saying, "I love ya. And I love ya enough to tell you that your actions are not those of a Christian." In fact, not only is there nothing wrong with this, there is everything right with this, if it is done in Love!

Do you have people in your life who are claiming to be Christians, but aren't living that way? If so, don't be afraid of confronting them.